NYC Gazette

On Saturday, the suspension of outdoor dining at restaurants with street seating was in effect as ordered by Mayor Bill de Blasio.

But several restaurants in the city have defied his order, Yahoo! News reported.

Some restaurant owners told Cory James, CBS2, that their businesses are already struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so an outdoor dining suspension would hurt their businesses even more.

James also mentioned that “some owners are hoping that the mayor would understand why they did what they did” and they are using their best judgment to operate safely.

The mayor had earlier explained in a media conference that crews need to make the streets safer and a temporary suspension of outdoor dining was included.

“Now, remember, the snow removal is the way we come back out of this storm and that it can't – our colleagues at the Sanitation Department, these incredible men and women who do this work, they can't clear the streets if there's cars in the way, just doesn't work, he said. There's a traffic jam, the whole thing falls apart. So, this is why it's so important to stay off the streets. Alternate side parking will be canceled today through Saturday.”